It is old to provide a gas-liquid accumulator such as a nitrogen-oil accumulator having a housing with a spring loaded liquid inlet-outlet valve connected to the bottom of the housing, a gas charging and releasing valve for charging and releasing gas from the housing, and a separator in the housing for separating the gas and liquid and for contacting and closing the liquid valve upon contact.
The present invention is directed to various improvements in such an accumulator such as a removable top for servicing the accumulator, a safety lock on the accumulator whereby the top cannot be released and cause possible injury when the accumulator is pressurized, an accumulator which will accept various types of separators, an improved solid float separator which will have a reduced tendency to stick to the interior wall of the accumulator, an anti-extrusion ring bonded to the top for preventing damage to the separator, and an improved liquid inlet-outlet valve which will more securely seal off against fluid flow when closed.